Exerciser



Nov. 22, 1949 F, M, HAGERMAN 2,488,534

EXERC I SER Filed June 18, 1947 Patented Nov. 22, 1949 UNITED PATENT OFFICE k 712,488,534 Y f I j L'E Xl'llwlrseVA l Floyd M. Hagerman, Swanton, Ohio 'Application'.lmie 17's,194l7seria1No-755o7 '4 Claims; (Cl. 272-83) person so that he is elevated slightly from the floor, spring means being provided yieldingly to resist the weightof the person, thereby to aiford an exerciser for the spinal column,` arm rand *shoulder-muscles, etc. Y

Another object in to produce an exerciser which is simple in construction, can be readily mounted, has a minimum number of parts, is sturdy and reliable, and has the new and improved features of construction, arrangement and operation hereinafter described.

An embodiment of the invention is shown for purposes of illustration on the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front or face elevation partly in section, of the exerciser; and

Figure 2 is a side or end elevation of the exerciser.

The exerciser comprises a mounting bracket III preferably of metal or some sturdy material which is secured by screws I I to the side wall of the room preferably somewhat above the reach of the person using it. Integral with the lower end of the bracket plate I and extending at approximately right angles outwardly therefrom is a plate I2 which is provided with a pair of longitudinally spaced apertures I3 through which vertically disposed rods I4 are freely slidable. The lower ends of the rods I4 are screw-threaded to engage a grip member I5. The grip member I5 is made up of a pair of loop members I6, each having a rubber hand grip I'l and the two loop members I6 are integrally connected by a web I8.

The upper end of each rod I4 has a head I9 against which a centrally embossed portion 20 of a stop plate 2| bears, Abutting against the under side of each stop plate 2| is a helical coil spring 22, the lower end of which bears against a metal washer 23 which rests against the upper side of an outwardly extending bumper ange 24. The lower face of the bumper flange 24 is adapted to bear against the upper surface of the bracket plate I2. Integral with the flange 24 is an inwardly tapering bumper element 25. The bumper 25 and its flange 24 in each case are formed with a central aperture 26 through which the respective rod I4 freely slides.

Each spring 22 is enclosed by a cylindrical metallic casing 21, the inside diameter of which is slightly greater than the diameter of the spring, the easing providing a guide for the respective spring. The lower end of each casing 2l is formed 'with an inwardly extending flange 28 against which the bumper flange 24'rests. In this manjner, each casing 21 is'held in place bythe b umpei` iiange 24 which in turn is held in place bythe respective coil spring 22.` ff'fv Inuse, the device being mounted slightly; yond the persons reach, theperson can hang'by -l`f`ii'shands engaging the "handle grips I Pand in such suspended position, the weight of the body will tend `to pull on the spinal column. In addition, it is manifest that the muscles of the arm, shoulders and :back may be exercised, By having the body suspended in this manner, the person, by his own effort, can eiect a jumping action, thereby causing the coil springs to expand to take up the upward movement of the body and yieldingly resist the downward body movement, this recurrently taking place and enabling the person to eiect the desired iiexing of the muscles and a certain tensioning of the spinal column.

From the above description, it will be manifest that I have produced an exceedingly simple exercising device, which can be produced inexpensively and is sturdy and reliable in construction. An outstanding feature resides in the extreme simplicity by which the parts can be assembled without the use of special tools and the manner in which the spring elements retain certain parts in the desired assembled position.

It is to be understood that numerous changes in details of construction, arrangement and operation may be eiiected without departing from the spirit of the invention especially as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim:

1. An exerciser of the class described, comprising a mounting bracket adapted to be secured to.

a wall surface, an outwardly extending plate rigid with said bracket having an aperture, a slidable rod extending through said aperture, a hand grip secured to one end of said rod on one side of said plate, a stop plate on the opposite end of said rod, a coil spring encircling said rod and bearing at one end against said stop plate, a rubber bumper apertured slidably to receive the rod therethrough, and against which said stop plate is adapted to abut upon compression of said spring, and an outwardly flanged portion on the lower end of said bumper bearing against said plate on the outer side, the inner side of said flanged portion being adapted to receive the opposite end of said spring, thereby to retain the bugipgr in place.

2. An exerciser of the class described, comprising a mounting bracket adapted to be secured to a wall surface, an outwardly extending plate rigid with said bracket having an aperture, a slidable rod extending through said aperture, a hand grip secured to one end of said rod on one side of said plate, a stop plate on the opposite end of said rod, a coil spring encircling said rod and bearing at one end against said stop plate, a rubber bumper apertured slidably to receive the rod therethrough, and against which said stop plate is adapted to abut upon compression of said spring, an outwardly iianged portion on the lower end of said bumper bearing against said plate on the outer side, the inner side of said ange'd portion being adapted to receive theoppos-ite end of said spring, thereby to retain the bumper in place, and a tubular casing Afitting said spring, the inner end of the casing being inwardly flanged and such flange being disposed between the bumper flanged .portion and the plate.

3. An exerciser as claimed in claim 2, comprising a metallic washer interposed between the in- `ner side of the .flanged bumper portion andthe spring, and the bumper tapering inwardly from the flanged portion thereof 4to augment the cushioning action thereof when engaged by .the -stop plate.

4. An exerciserof Ythe class described, comprising a mounting bracket adapted to be secured to a vertical wall surface, a plate rigid with said bracket and extending at substantially right angles therefrom, said plate having a pair of apertures spaced longitudinally from each other, a rod slidable in each aperture, a hand grip se cured to the lower end of each rod respectively, a rigid connection between said hand grips, a stop plate on the upper end of each rod, a coil spring encircling said rod and bearing 'at one end against sai'dlstop plate, arubberfbumper for each rod and concentric therewith, each bumper having a verv jt'ical aperture through which the respective rod fis slidable, a lower flanged end on said bumper, a 'metal washer on the upper side of said iianged fend'itb provide a bearing for the lower end of the respectivespring, a casing for each coil spring, :and an'finwardlyextending ange on the lower endoffeach casing disposed between the adjacent bumper flange and saidrigid plate.

, kELOY-D .M HAGERMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record inthe 

